Foul Play
by WynterC
Summary: This short story takes place after Cold Days. Harry assists Murphy with an investigation outside of Chicago. He has the chance to use the time away to make her change her mind about their relationship. Or, he could make things worse. Hell's bells, life for Harry is never easy.
1. Part 1

**Disclaimer: ****All characters associated with the **_**Dresden Files **_**series belong to Jim Butcher. No copyright infringement is intended at any time.**

_Foul Play_

**This short story takes place after **_**Cold Days**_**. Harry assists Murphy with an investigation outside of Chicago. He has the chance to use the time away to make her change her mind about their relationship. Or, he could make things worse. Hell's bells, life for Harry is never easy.**

**Part 1**

"With great power comes great responsibility."

"Seriously? You're quoting Spider-Man to me?" Molly Carpenter asked before handing me a cold Coke. I thanked her and dropped down onto the comfy couch. She took the chair across from me, settled back, and twisted the cap off her water bottle.

It had been only a few months since Molly had unwillingly been appointed as Lady Winter. While on Demonreach, I'd received word from Toot-Toot that Molly had recently been spotted back at her apartment in Chicago. This was the first time I'd been able to sit down with her and see how she was doing. Being one of Mab's newest recruits myself, I could understand what she must be going through. I had even arrived with a great motivational speech prepared.

"Huh. You've heard that one already?"

"I was your apprentice for how many years?"

_Not long enough_, I thought regretfully. I had taken her on when she was a rebellious teenager. Now she was a young lady with the weight of Winter on her shoulders because of me.

"We make our own choices, you know." Being empathic, Molly had easily picked up on my emotions.

"You didn't _choose _this," I growled.

"I made the choice by using magic years ago, Harry."

I thought of that for a moment. "Always in motion is the future."

Molly rolled her eyes. "Yes, Master Yoda. And it can't be predicted. Not by _us _anyway," she muttered.

I wasn't buying it. There wasn't one person I knew whose life had been made easier by knowing me. I was definitely a shit-magnet and it got thrown on whomever was around me.

"Anywho, it isn't _that _bad." Molly shrugged a slender shoulder. "I mean, yeah, it's scary. But it isn't like I'm totally ignorant of Winter badies." That was true. Before she had become my apprentice, she had been held prisoner in the Winter realm. "And I like Sarissa. We've actually become friends."

"Wait. You and the new Lady Summer are buddies?"

She shot me a withering glance. "We were both thrown in this together. Sure she's more familiar with the Fae since she is one, but technically we're both newborns. She might know all there is about the Winter Court but not the Summer."

Mab had wanted her daughter, Sarissa, to take her twin sister's job as Lady Winter. Maeve, being the disgruntled, stubborn bitch she was, thought it would be hilarious to turn her twin sister into the Lady Summer instead by killing the former Lady Summer, Lily. Of course Mab had a backup plan just like she always does as I have been learning. So when Karrin Murphy shot and killed Maeve who had been threatening to kill me, the Lady Winter mantle was transferred to Molly who just so happened to have been conveniently training with my godmother, Leanansidhe, during my absence. Confusing, I know. But thus are the ways of the Fae. It's where the term Drama Queen originated from.

"Well, I'm so pleased to hear you are getting along well with others." Sarcastic much I am.

Molly sighed. "I'm not getting along well with everyone. There are those who would have preferred things to have gone as planned. But I'll be okay. I hear the Winter Knight is a little on the wacky side and that he can be a real bastard sometimes."

"Yeah, you'll probably need to steer clear of him." Him meaning me.

Molly said it as a joke but she didn't know just how close to the truth her words were. Since taking on the Winter Knight mantle, I'd had moments where I wasn't myself and that scared the living shit out of me. That's what worried me about Molly. If she started acting like Maeve…well, I guess I would have to worry about that when or if that egg hatched. She already had enough on her plate, I didn't want to worry her about the possibility of losing her essence.

"By the way, you should know that I had a talk with Mom and Dad."

"Hell's bells." I ran my hand through my too long hair. "And?"

Molly thought for a moment. And then she thought some more. Beads of sweat broke out on my forehead before she spoke.

"They aren't happy. But Dad's not pointing any fingers."

"And your Mom?"

More silence.

Charity Carpenter had never been a fan of Harry Dresden. In fact, she was anti-Dresden. However, she had called a truce after I'd saved her daughter from the White Counsel. Oh, and she was also currently the caretaker of my only daughter.

"Mom is against anyone or thing that threatens or has the potential to threaten her family." I was totally understanding of that, but it didn't bode well for me.

"Meaning your mother's blaming me and I'm back in the doghouse."

"Not you, per se." Molly's uncomfortable body language told me all I needed to know.

"I'm guilty by association."

Molly was quick to jump to the defense. "I told Mom this wasn't your fault. It just happened."

"Nothing just _happens_, Molly. There is always a cause and effect."

There was a knock at the door then my brother, Thomas Raith, stuck his lovely head in.

"If this is a bad time, I can come back later," he said looking at Molly then at me.

Molly sighed heavily and waved him in.

"Do I still address you as Molly, or should I now call you Lady Winter?" Thomas smiled warmly. He remained standing a few feet from where we were sitting.

"Molly, please. I get enough of the Lady Winter comments at court."

"Ah, the tough life of being royalty," he replied in a serious tone but his grey eyes twinkled with humor.

"You should know all about that being raised in a noble family of the White Court," I said.

Thomas chuckled, unconsciously (or maybe not) sending out sensual energy into the air. "Touché." He glanced down at his watch. "We're having a get together tonight. You going?" he asked Molly.

She stood and stretched. "Can't. I've got to get back to Arctis Tor. More training with Lea. Maybe another time. If I'm allowed, that is." Her tone seemed just a tad bitter.

Thomas nodded understandingly.

"Who is 'we're' ?" I asked. I didn't like being left in the dark. Being out of the loop takes my paranoia to a whole new level of crazy.

"Justice League Chicago. They're having a meeting tonight at Murphy's house." I put on my sad puppy-dog face. Thomas stared at me for a moment. He then addressed me as one would address a small child. "Would you like to go with me or should I return you back to your island of solitude?"

I put on my uncaring face and shrugged. "I don't have anything else better to do at this moment."

Thomas and Molly shared an amusing look.

"We've got time to spare," Thomas said as we pulled away from the security gate of Molly's apartment complex. "You know, in case you wanted to stop by some place else."

I played dumb, which wasn't hard. "Where else do you think I want to go?"

He wasn't fooled. "Okay, maybe not some place you want to go but _need _to go."

"Neither of us would be welcomed there right now." I kept my face turned to the passenger window, away from his observant eyes. "Molly told her parents what happened."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

"So why wouldn't we be welcomed?"

"Hell's bells, Thomas! Their daughter, who was under my protection, is now the Lady Winter. Why else do you think we wouldn't be welcomed?"

He shook his head. "You are such a verbal flagellator."

"It's called being a realist. It is what it is."

"What it is is bullshit. You have never forced any of us to follow you on any of your asinine missions. We do so because we know it's the right thing to do. Well, in my case it's more because you're family. In as much, you put yourself in harms way a hell of a lot more than any of the rest of us."

"Her parents were counting on me to keep her safe. Michael is one of my best friends and one of the best people this shitty world has to offer, and I just got his daughter snow deep in the Winter court. It's like the equivalent of Obi-Wan handing over Princess Leia to Emperor Palpatine."

"I don't think Vader would have had a problem with it. He did try to recruit his son after all."

"You know what I mean," I growled.

"Look, you had no control over what happened." His voice was firm but soft.

I shook my head. "If it wasn't for me, she would have never been introduced to Leanansidhe or to Mab."

"If it wasn't for you, she would have died when the Scarecrow took her captive. You had absolutely nothing to do with that. That blame lies with Molly. You put your ass on the line for her."

Thomas was right from a certain point of view. And I would have agreed with him had Mab not shown me another side. According to her I had known what Molly was capable of before Molly had known. I waited until the very last minute to throw her a life-line, then made everyone think I was doing something noble by taking her on as my apprentice to keep the White Counsel at bay. From Mab's POV I was no better than my own demented mentor, Justin DuMorne. Was she right? I had no idea. Not anymore.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter right now. I'm not going to go rub their nose in it. They deserve better than that."

"What does Maggie deserve?"

Maggie, my daughter, deserved a chance at a life. A life without a father who was the Winter Knight, who attracted all the uglies of the universe and then some. She could get a simpler, safer life with the Carpenters. No matter what Charity might think of me, she would love Maggie as her own. A child couldn't help who their parents were. And Michael would be a much better dad than I ever could. I was giving her the family she deserved. That was the best I could offer.

"Drop it, Thomas. I'm not going over there right now."

He dropped it.

"So, this JLC, what's that about?"

Thomas snorted graciously. (Yes, it can be done.)

"You can thank Will for the name."

William Borden was a good friend and a werewolf. He was the leader of the Alphas, a group of werewolves who helped keep the mean streets of Chicago safe from evil supernaturals. He was also a bit of a nerd.

"It's a group of us misfits who are keeping an eye on the human world and protecting it from other's like ourselves."

"A band of misfits like in Rudolph?"

"It's me, Karrin, Butters, Will, Molly and Daniel Carpenter."

"Sounds…interesting." I remembered being at one of their meetings when I was in my ghostly form.

"They felt they needed to do something since you weren't here to lead the charge."

Guilt. One thing about it, it doesn't have a problem facing you and stabbing you right in your beating heart.

"So what's on the agenda for tonight?"

"Just a routine meeting."

"Do these secret, routine meetings usually have food?" It had been a while since I'd last ate and my stomach was reminding me it was still there and empty.

"Usually."

We parked by the curve in front of Murphy's well-lit home. It was a cute Colonial that had been left to her when her grandmother passed away. She hadn't got rid of anything including the lacey doilies that adorned the arms of the couch and chairs. Karrin Murphy was as tough as they come but also had a sentimentality about her that she rarely let anyone see. I knew better than to mention the cuteness of anything cute while around her.

I followed behind Thomas, not sure of what kind of welcoming I would receive. A few of our friends had seen me since coming back from the dead and a few hadn't. Since I wasn't an official member no one knew I was coming.

All conversation ceased when I walked through the door. Normally, I would be smug about it and contribute the silence to my badassedness. However, since I was amongst those whom I considered mostly friends, it made me nervous.

"I brought a guest," Thomas said breaking the unbearable silence.

Murphy smiled from her seat on the couch. She was barefoot wearing a Cubs t-shirt and black yoga pants. She seemed very relaxed at home.

"Well I'll be damned. If it isn't my long, lost friend." Will walked over and gave me a crushing hug and several big whacks on the back. "Good to see you breathing again."

"Good to be breathing again," I replied.

"Andi said you were back. You should come over and see Georgia and the baby when you get time."

"Don't feel slighted," Thomas said. "There are a lot of people he hasn't got around to visiting yet." We exchanged stink eyes.

"Welcome to Justice League Chicago," Will said with a wide smile. "Did Thomas explain our meetings?"

"Uh, yeah." I glanced over at Murphy who was still relaxed on the couch. "You don't mind me sitting in, do you?"

"I trust you."

"I don't," said a voice from the archway that lead to the kitchen.

I turned to find a red faced young replica of Michael Carpenter. Daniel Carpenter stood with fist balled up at his side and in a stance ready to fight.

"Majority rules so you lose," Will said.

Daniel looked over at Murphy. "You're not going to say anything? He's the enemy now. He's not who he used to be. You know that."

Thomas opened his mouth but Murphy beat him to the reply.

"He is who he's always been, Daniel. He just happens to have a new job. Considering how his wizard for hire business was failing, can't blame the man for wanting to eat." She threw a small grin my direction.

"If it makes you feel any better," I said, "everything I see and hear here tonight will not leave this room."

Daniel scowled. "It doesn't."

"Tough titty said the kitty, but the milk's still good." Will gave me another hard slap on the back. I was beginning to wonder if he was hell bent on me staying just so he could beat me to death with kindness. His whacks were going to leave bruises. "Welcome to JLC, Harry."

"Is Butters coming?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah. He got held up at the office. Said he had some important information and not to start without him." Murphy looked at me. "There is pizza in the kitchen if you're hungry. Help yourself." She knew me too well.

I scooted pass Daniel who was still having a silent hissy fit, and followed my nose to the boxes of pizza on the counter. I glanced around looking for paper plates. Not seeing any I hurried over to the cabinets and started searching.

"Plates are in the third cabinet to your right," Daniel said. True enough, there were plates, saucers, and bowls. "There is soda in the fridge. If you prefer to have it in a glass, glasses are located in the cabinet next to the fridge."

I paused in placing a slice of greasy, meat-loaded pizza on my plate and looked over at Daniel. He seemed very sure of himself as to the layout of where everything was kept in Murphy's kitchen. "Thanks," I said.

"Not a problem."

He turned and went back into the living room. I followed with my plate full of pizza and planted myself in the Queen Anne wing chair making sure not to knock off the little lacey doilies hanging on the arms. I settled back, happy and content with my plate full of food and waited for Butters along with everyone else.

Will and Thomas were pleasantly discussing a television show about a bunch of people attempting to control the world by claiming a throne. Undoubtedly the ass that sits on the throne is the ass that rules the world. I bit into my pizza and glanced over at Karrin and Daniel. I was keenly aware of how close they were sitting to one another on the couch. Daniel was doing all the talking, whispering fervently probably about me. Then my eyes caught something I was not expecting. His big, boney fingered hand was laying on top of Murphy's that was resting on her knee. He was practically at second base with her. I inhaled, shocked, and started choking on a hunk of meat.

I guess since I was coughing and obviously able to suck down a little air around the food lodged in my throat, no one thought it important to call 911 for help or do the Heimlich maneuver. Everyone just watched, waiting to see if I would send the trapped object flying to the other side of the room, or pass out from lack of air. Lucky for me, Butters arrived.

"Good God, Dresden, are you choking?" He slapped me a couple of times on the back helping to dislodge the food.

"I was, but I'm okay now," I said in a raspy voice. I placed the plate of uneaten pizza on the coffee table in front of me, my appetite suddenly gone. "Thanks, Butters."

"Don't mention it. I'm happy to see you here. We could use your expertise." Butters sat down on the couch next to Daniel.

"We've been doing just fine without him," Daniel cut in.

"We've been getting by." Will crossed his arms and leaned against the fireplace. "What us and the others have been barely able to contain, Harry there has been doing by himself for years."

"Well, I haven't really been doing it alone." I was anything but arrogant.

"Please. All we've ever done has been to watch your back. You're the one with all the know how."

"Speak for yourself," Thomas said. He had sprawled out taking the loveseat for himself. "I've had to point him in the right direction hundreds of times."

"And let's not forget having to keep him focused," Murphy chimed in.

"And bring him back from the brink of death," said Butters solemnly.

Will nodded his head. "Yeah. Come to think of it, we've had to be his muscle on more than one occasion."

"And his chauffer."

"More than once pull some strings to get him out of jail."

"A jail I was usually put in by you," I reminded Murphy. "Stars and Stones. You have all made the point that I was trying to humbly make in the beginning but without using examples to belittle someone. I would not be where I am today without friends like you."

"You mean a slave to the Winter court?" Daniel asked.

I forced a smile. "I was referring to being alive. And I'm not a slave." Alright, Michael's eldest son was really starting to piss me off. I just might have to teach him some manners before the end of the night. I was certain Michael wouldn't object.

"Okay, enough banter. Let's get down to business." Murphy officially called the meeting to order. "What have you got for us, Butters?"

Butters face turned serious. All joking was put aside, lost for the time being. His mouth twisted as if he was trying to find the right words to say what needed to be said. To say something that no one in the room would like. He was trying to soften a heavy blow.

"I found out today that Chicago PD has decided to terminate the Special Investigations Unit."

All eyes shifted to Murphy. Yep, this was a massive blow. Not just because she was, at one time, lieutenant of that division, but also because it had been her father who had been one of the founders. It was a division that wasn't recognized or talked about because…well, no one really was supposed to know about the things that go bump in the night and sometimes during the day. The Special Investigations Unit had been created to do just what their name said: Investigate special cases that could not be explained rationally otherwise.

When Karrin's father died, there were years that SI was thought of as a joke. That was until Karrin got promoted and placed in the SI unit. When she became lieutenant, she started calling me for advice on cases she had a certain feel about. She always caught heat about it from those who didn't believe beyond what their human eyes could see (which was most of them on her team) but she was stubborn and stuck to her guns. She cared more about solving a case the right way than just sweeping what couldn't be explained under the rug and saving her reputation. Karrin Murphy was one tough cookie — excuse me, woman.

"Stallings said that the cases coming in have been on the decline since you left." Butters continued addressing Murphy. "CPD is no longer willing to throw money into a division whose cases can be solved by other divisions within the department. He said they are dispersing the team. He's being moved to homicide."

"That just means we need to pay more attention on what's going on out there," Murphy said. I was positive that no one in the room noticed the tenseness in her shoulders or the very small quiver in her normally steady voice. But I noticed. SI meant a lot to her. It was her way of keeping her father close. A way of keeping his spirit alive. Now it was no more. What would she tell her mom? Her brothers? I didn't have to have telepathy to know she was feeling like she'd let everyone down. It was a feeling I dealt with on a daily basis.

"On another note," Butters said shifting gears, "ParaNet has sent information about a few reports north of the boarder of people who are claiming that aliens have snatched their friends and family."

"Aliens? Like little green men?" Will asked.

"Actually, most aliens look just like us." Everyone stared at Butters. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you people don't believe in extra terrestrial life? So vampires, werewolves, wizards, angels, faeries, all these entities can exist, but no one believes that there can actually be an ET out there, roaming the earth —"

"Eating all the Reese Pieces and still trying to phone home." Thomas finished with a smile.

"You'd think with all this technology someone would've picked the little guy up by now," I replied.

"Unless he's surrounded by wizards, which would make all technology useless."

"Point."

"Can any of you explain Area 51?" Butters eyes challenged us. For some unknown reason, everyone looked to me for an answer.

"I'm not saying there couldn't be aliens. I've never heard a good enough explanation for Area 51."

"What about all those Elvis stories?"

I wisely ignored my brother's question. "My only question is this." I paused a moment for suspense buildup. "Where are all the others?"

Thomas rolled his eyes, Will nodded thoughtfully, Butters eyes rounded to the size of a UFO, and Daniel continued to glare at me. Some people just had no sense of imagination.

"Apparently in Canada." Ah, Murphy was always the quick witted one. She excused herself from the debate to answer the phone.

"You think it might be the Fomor?" Daniel asked with all seriousness.

Butters shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't rule them out. But to jump and point fingers at them would be assuming."

"And no one wants to be an ass." I shot a look at Daniel. "Well, almost no one."

"Did it say in the reports what the witnesses saw?" Will asked before Daniel made an ass out of himself again.

"Um, no."

"So why automatically say it was aliens?"

Butters shrugged his shoulders in response.

Murphy walked back in the room with a grimace on her face.

"What's happened?" Will was automatically on alert.

Murphy shook her head and took her seat back on the couch next to a very concerned looking Daniel.

"It's personal business. Mom has volunteered my services to some friends of the family down in Ullin. Since I'm not working and have nothing else better to do with an abundance of free time, she didn't see any harm in it." Karrin's voice was hard with irritation. The Murphys were a clan of people who helped without being asked and never turned away anyone in need of help. Although Karrin had differences with some of those in her family, she would never turn her back on any of them even if the rest of the world was falling apart. I could relate.

"Anything we can be of help with?" Daniel reached over to take her hand but she declined his gesture with a quick shake of her head and a small smile.

"There is a kid who's dating my second cousin whose father has gone missing and they think foul play might be involved. Mom told Uncle Frank that I could help in locating this kid's father." A shadow of annoyance crossed her face. "I told Mom that I no longer had the special privileges that I used to, but she is convinced that I can help."

"Two heads are always better than one. I can go with you," Daniel offered eagerly.

My thoughts filtered back to the day when it used to be me and Murphy who would sit around discussing a case, trying to find all the loop holes and analyzing every possible scenario. It was as if Daniel was my replacement. How dare he push me aside as if I were garbage. I was the wizard here. I was the freaking Winter Knight…

Hell's bells, I was mad. Sure, I wasn't excited about being replaced by a kid, but the anger I was feeling was unjustified. My feelings were hurt. My ego was bruised that I could be disposed of so easily. But there was no reason for anger. The anger was from Winter. It was the monster trying to push through. I gritted my teeth, pushed it back down, and counted to twenty. I didn't think anyone noticed my silent struggle. At least, I hoped they didn't. How embarrassing.

"You have school." Will chided.

"And I may be gone for a few days."

"Besides, if it is help she needs, she should take someone with experience. Someone who will know what to look for. Someone who could maybe do a locate spell." Thomas looked over at me.

"You don't have any business pending, do you?" Karrin asked.

"Yeah, like people to turn into ice sculptures?" Daniel pouted like I'd just peed in his Cheerios. I guess in a way I had. I smiled like the cat that caught a big fat rat with a bowl of warm milk on the side.

"I'll check my planner, but I'm pretty sure ice sculpting isn't until next week."

Karrin said she would pick me up from the _Water Beatle _early in the morning. Thus adjourned the meeting of JLC. The rest of the evening was friendly talk about who should be the next Batman, what was our favorite alien movie, and of course the ageless question of how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop. Ah, it was nice to be amongst friends again.


	2. Part 2

**Disclaimer: ****All characters associated with the **_**Dresden Files **_**series belong to Jim Butcher. No copyright infringement is intended at any time.**

**Part 2**

I woke refreshed and ready to take on the day. I rechecked myself in the full length mirror hanging on the door: Jeans, black t-shirt, and my new duster Molly had gotten me for my birthday. I checked up my nose to make sure there weren't any unpleasant surprises waiting to pop out. Checked my breath to make sure it smelt minty fresh. And…I was stalling. Murphy would arrive in less than ten minutes. We would be alone in the car. No prying ears or watchful eyes. Just us. For five hours. Alone.

Karrin and I had always been comfortable around each other. We teased, poked, joked, and laughed. There had always been an easy, comfortable banter between us. But now that our feelings were exposed, I wasn't sure what to expect. Karrin was the type of person who liked to keep her emotions well hidden, therefore I had kept my emotions for her hidden as well. We had shared kisses on a few occasions, but all those times were either influenced by magic (or so we told ourselves) or because we were high on what some would call close to death adrenaline. We had never kissed just to kiss. Not that I wouldn't have liked to have, but there was that possibility of getting shot that always stopped me.

While we were on Demonreach, Karrin had admitted that she had feelings for me. She'd also admitted that she thought that she should not act impulsively on those feelings. Apparently there was a butt-load of obstacles to work through while considering a relationship with me. I understood her wanting to be cautious, but there are sayings about it not being over till the fat lady sings, not to count your chickens before they hatch, don't burn the bridge before you get there, and don't say no until you've tried it. I mean, I had metaphors galore on my side.

Have I mentioned how long it has been since I've been with a woman? That little shindig with Mab on the stone altar does not count. In fact, I would rather forget about it…along with everyone else.

I settled my nerves by reminding myself that Murphy was the same old Murphy. I couldn't rush her or force her into a relationship. Who knows, maybe it was just one of those things that are never meant to be anyway. The timing was never right and there was always someone, something, or the world that needed saving.

Figuring I wasn't going to look any better than I already did, I grabbed my overnight bag and headed to the deck of the boat. Water steadily lapped against the _Water Beatle. _The sun was bright and there was a gentle breeze coming off the water. I stretched my arms, turned, and froze in mid stretch. Immediately my senses went on alert.

Murphy stood still as a stone on the dock starring at the boat as if in a trance. I quickly glanced around but didn't pick up on anything out of the ordinary. As quietly as my six-eight frame could move, I went around to the other side of the boat.

Nothing. I measured the direction of her stare, but there was nothing there.

"Murph, you okay?" My voice was low and calm. She never acknowledged my presence. I took a small step towards her. I didn't want startle her and approach her too quickly. I wasn't particularly interested in seeing Butters first thing this morning to remove a bullet from my skin. "Murph?" Still nothing. "Karrin, you okay?"

Her bright blue eyes flashed to my location and just as quickly turned away. Her small body shook as if chilled. She pulled her navy blue blazer tighter around her body.

"Sorry. I…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. Her eyes were clear when she reopened them. "Ready?"

"I'm always ready."

She snorted, shook her head, and walked away before I got off the boat. With my long legs I easily caught up to her and then slowed my stride to match hers.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" she asked. Her hands still clutched her blazer causing her knuckles to whiten.

"Uh, no." Here, I had to tread carefully. I had already been made aware that Karrin had taken my death hard. I wasn't sure what happened during the time I was in la-la land but I was pretty certain that it hadn't been good. Karrin was good at building walls and she'd protect them ferociously.

She gave a quick nod. "I didn't think you would have. I've got doughnuts and coffee in the car."

"Did you get a new car?" Her last car had been blown-up.

"It's a loaner. I didn't think you would enjoy bitch-riding on the Harley all the way to Ullin."

"I don't know. I enjoyed it very much the last time."

She smiled and her hands finally loosened. "Don't be a pig, Dresden."

"Sorry, can't help it. Oink, oink."

At that she openly laughed. I couldn't help but smile and be pleased with myself for causing such a heartwarming sound. Karrin didn't smile often and her laugh was on the endangered species list it was so rare.

She got behind the wheel of a Ford Taurus and I took the passenger side. Inside smelt of freshly brewed coffee and surgery goodness.

"Mmm, 'is is so good," I said around the whole doughnut I had just shoved in my mouth. Murphy smirked as she turned onto the highway. I was more restrained on the next doughnut and only put half of it in my mouth. When I finished, I licked the sugar off my fingers.

"Neanderthal," Murphy said with another shake of her head.

"Me like sugar. You drive." I sipped my coffee and indulged myself to one more doughnut. "So, what's the plan for today?"

"We meet with Lee Fisher, get his side of the story. Talk to Mrs. Fisher and hopefully take a look around the property. Depends on if she's compliant." If she wasn't we would have to find another way. One that could get us in trouble with the local authorities.

"I'm sure your family wouldn't be asking for help if they didn't think there was an ounce of truth to this kid's story."

"Yeah. I talked to Kevin this morning to let him know I was coming with a friend and gave him pre-arrival instructions. He's not sure what to believe. He said Lee is a good kid. That he and Brandi, Kevin's daughter, have been dating for a couple of years now and he's always been nice and quiet."

"It's those nice and quiet ones you have to worry about."

Murphy arched an eyebrow and grinned. "Oh? You know this from experience?"

"_I _was nice and quiet." I grinned back.

Her laugh was low and throaty. "Nice, maybe. But I have yet to see the day when you are quiet."

"You never said last night whether you believe in aliens or not," I asked once we were south bound on the interstate.

"No, I didn't."

"So, do you believe that there could be alien life out there? Besides that of what we know?"

Her lips puckered in thought. She had perfect lips. Soft, warm lips in the shape of a bow. My lips tingled in remembrance of them on mine. She tasted like strawberries. Smelt like sunshine and tasted like straw…. Hell's bells. I had to adjust myself in the seat because Harry Jr. had popped up to find out what had awakened him.

"The seat will let back if you don't have enough leg room," Murphy said glancing in my direction.

"Uh, I'm…okay. Just…." I cleared my throat. "You didn't answer the question."

She inclined her head. "Considering that the Fomor are not from earth and all the other supernatural species that we have dealt with, anything is possible. I've learned not to rule anything out."

_Except a relationship with me_, I thought bitterly.

"So, when did this crush thing with Daniel start?" I inwardly cringed at my chosen topic for our next discussion. The gentlemanly thing to do would be for me to apologize and beg that she forget I ever asked. However, since I was already considered swine, I let it go. I wanted to know what, if anything, was going on between the two of them.

"Excuse me?" She looked over at me, baffled.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't tell me you, cop extraordinaire, have not noticed the ginormous crush he has on you?" I asked while trying to hide the huge, uncomfortable effect she had on me.

She looked at me with amused wonder.

"What?" I pulled the duster over my lap self-consciously.

"You're only saying that because I was the first person who pointed out what you so obviously ignored."

"And that would be…?" I had to ask because most of the time I was totally clueless.

"Molly's mega crush on you."

It was my turn to scoff. "That is not what this is about." Her expression told me she didn't believe me. "Really? You haven't noticed?"

"For Christ's sake, Dresden. Daniel's barely eighteen."

"So. I read that it's all the rage for older women to fall for younger men. They even have a word for it. They call them panthers."

"Cougars."

"I knew it was some kind of a cat."

"Wait, are you talking literally or figuratively?"

I thought a moment. Now that was something to look into — werecats. I would have to ask around. Bob would know. "I'm pretty sure I'm speaking figuratively."

"What do they call older men who fall for younger women?"

"Lucky rich bastards."

"You are such a pig, Dresden. Why do I keep hanging out with you?"

"Because I'm intellectually stimulating," she snorted, "and not too bad on the eyes." She chuckled. "Seriously, though, you haven't noticed?" It was very unlike Murphy not to see something that was so very obvious. Hey, if I noticed other's must have also. But apparently I was the only one brave enough to point it out. Or else they thought….

Thoughts and images began to swirl around in my head and I wasn't liking what I was seeing. I could practically taste the resentment on my tongue. "Oh, you like the attention."

Her smile vanished instantly. "What? That's sick."

"Come on, Murph. You don't expect me to believe that you haven't noticed the young, strapping Daniel Carpenter." The words were playful but the meaning was not. Neither was my tone.

"Okay, joking over. Shut it, Dresden.," she said firmly.

But I didn't shut it. I couldn't. Anger rippled along my spine. I heard the bitterness spill over into my voice. "It goes in his favor that he's the only human you hang around with these days. Well, there is Butters but he's taken. Even if he weren't, you can't tell me that you would choose him when you can have a young stallion like Daniel. You must have envisioned him, long, lean, and hard laying next to you naked. How willing he would be to please you, begging you to make him a man." Harry Jr. was very visible now but I no longer cared. In fact, I wanted her to see.

She pulled over to the side of the road and slammed on brakes. "Get out," she demanded through clenched teeth.

"Tell me, Karrin, while you're riding young Mr. Carpenter, would you be wishing that another person was under you? Do you have a distinct monster on your mind?" My voice was stern with no vestige of sympathy in its hardness.

Murphy hurried out of the vehicle and stumbled to the back of the car. Hands on her knees, she doubled over gasping for air. A malicious smile started to form at the sight of her distress….

I broke out in a cold sweat. My heart hammered inside my chest. Stars and Stones. What had I just done? I threw the car door open and vomited my breakfast onto the grass. When there was nothing left to purge, I forced my body out of the vehicle and cautiously walked to the back of the car.

Murphy quickly moved and pointed her pistol at me upon my approach. Her small hands didn't shake. Her eyes were cold and hard with anger.

I held my hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry." My voice was barely above a whisper. I wasn't sure if she could hear me over the traffic zooming by us. "I don't…. I just…." What the hell could I say? There was no way of taking back everything I had said. "I'm so sorry, Karrin."

"That was cruel." I nodded in agreement. "That wasn't you." I nodded again.

"Sometimes I lose control." I couldn't look at her. I kept my gaze to the ground. "I let the anger and humiliation get the best of me. I'm sorry. I should have seen it sooner and squelched it before it got out of hand."

"You were angry because I failed to notice that an eighteen year old boy has a crush on me?" she asked heatedly.

"I was angry because if he and I were the last two people on earth, he would have a better chance of you picking him over me simply because he's human." My voice was hoarse with frustration. "And when I get angry, Winter has a bad habit of taking control. So don't make me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry."

"You're right. I don't." She put her pistol back in its holster and sank back on the bumper. "I honestly thought Daniel was just sucking up to me so I would give him his father's sword." She shot me a look. "I'm still not convinced that that's not what's going on."

"Okay." I was not about to argue with her. Besides, she might be right but I doubted it. After all, I had once been a teenage boy. "Um, should I call Thomas and see if he can go with you on to Ullin?"

"Why?" Her pale brows drew downward into a frown.

"You know, because…" I nodded towards the car.

She sighed and shook her head. "What? Because we had an argument? It's not like that was our first."

"That wasn't our first?"

"No."

"Huh." I rubbed my chin thinking very hard about when we had argued like that before.

"Get in the car, Dresden. We've wasted enough time."

We got in and she eased the Taurus back on the road.

"I am sorry, Murph."

"I know," she replied softly. "And you were wrong. I wouldn't choose Daniel." I looked over at her. There was a lift in my spirits. "I would choose option C: None of the above." She grinned playfully.

God, I loved it when she grinned. Those lips….

We stopped at a Burger King half-way to Ullin to stretch and order lunch. I was starving since I'd left my breakfast on the side of the road. We decided our first stop was to check into the hotel about four miles south of Ullin near the interstate. Murphy had called last night after our meeting and reserved rooms next to each other. She didn't want to impose on her extended family. She also didn't want to be asked those difficult questions about her career and her sister's marriage to her ex-husband.

"I just called Kevin," Murphy said once we'd checked in. "He said that Lee and Brandi will meet us at a public place but not here in Ullin. He's nervous."

"I tend to have that effect on people."

She rolled her eyes.

We jumped back in the car and headed south on I-57 towards Mounds. It only took us twenty minutes to pull up to the busy truck stop. The parking lot was full of semis. Drivers were fueling up their ride and their stomachs, getting rest or just getting some fresh air. No doubt most wanted to finish their run and make it home in time for Thanksgiving.

"We playing Mulder and Scully?" I asked when we got out of the car.

"I thought we'd play Murphy and Dresden."

My lips dropped to a frown. "You're starting to take the fun out of this."

"Fine. I'll let you be the wizard. How's that?"

"Mmm, okay." I flashed a grin before opening the door.

The diner was packed with truckers and travelers. Christmas music could faintly be heard over the sound of dishes clinking and noisy conversations.

"You two can have a seat wherever you can find one," a waitress said as she passed us carrying a container full of dirty dishes. Strings of her red hair had slipped free from the long braid.

Murphy and I nodded a thanks and headed towards the back. No doubt Lee and Brandi would be sitting furthest from the door. Our gazes roamed over the crowd as we passed. No one looked twice at us. Because I had a height advantage, I spotted them before Murphy. I nudged her and motioned for her to follow me.

Lee Fisher was slumped down in the very last booth next to the exit door. Chunks of brown hair stuck out from underneath his Chicago Bears toboggan. His green eyes were shifting all over the place. I started to wonder if this was just a fluke and he was on some type of narcotic that dear old naïve Kevin didn't know about. The girl with chestnut brown hair sitting next to him must have been Murphy's second cousin Brandi. Where Lee was as jumpy as a rabbit, she was as calm as a sloth. Both sat up straighter as we approached them.

Murphy slid into the booth across from Brandi. They exchanged smiles and hellos.

"This is my friend, Harry Dresden." I greeted each with a firm handshake making sure not to make direct eye contact. That would have been a big no-no.

"Thanks for coming," Brandi said. "The cops aren't being helpful. Actually, they've been more of a hindrance."

"What exactly is it that you guys do?" Lee asked.

"You can say we're personal investigators," Murphy answered.

"She's the brains. I'm the eye candy." My comment got me a swift kick under the table from Murphy.

"I'm retired from Special Investigations with CPD. Harry's a wizard."

"A wizard named Harry." A grin played across Brandi's lips. Her eyes were the same color as Murphy's and they danced with amusement. "Did you attended Hogwarts, too?"

Teenagers. They think they are so funny.

"No. I attended Hard Knocks. And I was named Harry long before those wizard books came out."

"We were told you guys needed our help," Murphy said getting back to the point of the visit.

Lee squirmed. "I don't have any money to pay you."

"Karrin's family. She won't charge." Brandi looked across at Murphy and glanced hesitantly at me. "You won't, will you?"

Murphy smiled. "No. Why don't you just tell us what's happened. We'll handle it from there."

Before Lee got started a waitress took our drink order. Murphy and I ordered coffee and Lee and Brandi ordered water. They really didn't have any money. Once our glasses and mugs were in front of us, Lee took a deep breath.

"Some really strange shit has been going on." Brandi reprimanded Lee on his choice of words. He winced. "Sorry."

"It's okay," I told him. "What do you mean by strange?" What was considered strange for most people was my normal. I had a high tolerance for strange.

He twitched in his seat. He wasn't under the influence of any narcotic as I had originally thought; the kid was a nervous wreck.

Murphy and I sat quietly (I would have to remind myself to point that out to her later) while Lee told us of his parents sudden change in behavior. It had all started a couple of months ago. Little changes at first. Then their arguments were a little more heated and became more frequent. Finally, their relationship had gotten so out of control that Mr. Fisher began sleeping on the couch.

"I have friends whose parents have divorced," Lee said. He turned his glass around and around. The condensation from the glass caused it to stick to the table. "I'm not such a fool as to say that it could never happen to mine. What I'm saying is Dad wouldn't have just up and left without saying bye."

Murphy and I exchanged a knowing look.

"Look, kid," I said with sympathy. "Parents aren't perfect. I'm sure your dad —"

"You don't get it!" I flinched at his ferociousness. Customers at nearby tables glanced in our direction. Pink tinted Lee's cheeks knowing he had brought attention to himself. He lowered his voice. "You don't understand. He gave no indication that he was leaving. None. It was just another day. He would have never left without telling me bye. Without letting me know why he was leaving or where he was going in case I needed him."

"You understand what you're implying?" There was a gentle softness in Murphy's voice. She was applying her years of experience in questioning juveniles. Lee was a kid who'd lost his comfort zone. He needed to be handled with care. Murphy was an expert at reading people. She knew when to be hard and when to be soft.

Lee answered with staid calmness. "Yes, ma'am. I'm saying I think my mom killed my dad. And I think she's going to kill me next."

"Do you have any proof?" Murphy asked once the waitress had left from refilling our coffee mugs. "Other than your belief that your dad wouldn't leave without saying goodbye."

Lee shook his head. "I told you this was useless," he said turning to Brandi. "No one is going to believe me."

"If we had proof, we wouldn't need you." Brandi stared at Murphy pointblank. There was an edge to her voice and a sign of determination in her posture that was so much like Murphy's.

"What's your mom saying about all this?" I asked Lee while the cousins faced off in a stare down.

He let out a bitter laugh. "She told the cops that she had found out Dad had been chatting with another woman on the internet. She figured he ran off to be with her."

"But you don't buy it."

"He didn't take anything with him. No clothes, no personal items. Not even his vehicle."

That was odd. The question that kept ticking in the back of my mind was why. Why would Mrs. Fisher kill her husband? It could be that he really was having an affair and she killed him because of it. Crimes of passion happened every day and people have killed for less. But that still left another question unanswered.

"Why do you think she intends to kill you?"

His cheeks turned red. He looked down at his hands on the table and gave a slight shake of his head.

"Lee, you have to tell them." He remained silent despite Brandi's plea. "He's not sure Mrs. Fisher _is _his mother," Brandi said when Lee refused to answer the question.

"Mrs. Fisher isn't your biological mother?" Murphy asked.

"Not this Mrs. Fisher."

The trouble with talking to teenagers is that they have their own encrypted language. I'm comfortable with English and I know enough Latin to get by. But when it comes to interpreting feminine and adolescent dialects (and they are each in a category of their own) I easily get confused. One look at Murphy and I breathed a sigh of relief. She was just as discombobulated as I was.

Brandi rolled her eyes, disgusted by our lack of understanding and that she had to break it down so that our daft minds could understand.

"The Mrs. Fisher who is walking around now is not the Mrs. Fisher who is Lee's mother."

"Where is Lee's mother?"

"We don't know."

"You're saying this woman is an imposter?" Lee nodded, still not making eye contact. "And you're saying this because you think she killed your dad?"

"No," Brandi exclaimed as Lee huffed with irritation.

"Look, I just know she isn't my mom. This…thing is walking around in her skin, but it's not her. And I'm not saying any of this so I can mentally accept what's happened or saying it as a form of rebellion. I don't need to be psychoanalyzed. I know my parents. That person isn't my mom, and my dad wouldn't just vanish without a word."

Teenagers like to pretend their clueless to their surroundings. They walk around, eyes and fingers steadily on their mobile devices, earplugs in their ears, head bent down unaware of anything else occurring except the drama in their own world. But it's just an act. They sense and see things more than what they let on. They may not know their parents middle name, birth date, favorite food or color, but what they do know is _them_. Their essence, so to speak. Therefore when Lee said there was someone masquerading around as his mother, I believed him. The situation wasn't so far fetched. I had seen crazier shit in my lifetime.

"Has she threatened you?" Murphy's tone was velvet, yet edged with steel. She had a very low tolerance for bullying.

"No. She just gives me this look. A look I've never seen from another human being before. A look like a predator gives its prey." He shivered and swallowed a couple gulps of water.

"Have you got some place safe to stay for the next couple of days?"

Brandi nodded and took Lee's hand. "Dad said he can stay at our house."

"Okay, first we try and find your dad," Murphy said laying out our plan for them. It's good for the client to hear that you do have some clue as to what you're doing. They want to know you are out there doing something other than eating Twinkies and watching reality shows while you charge them by the hour — even though we weren't charging, same rule applies. "Second, we need to find out what is going on with your so called mom." Poor kid could be short both parents.

Lee and Brandi exchanged a frightened look.

"Did you bring what we asked for?" Murphy asked.

"What exactly are you planning on doing with these?" Lee took out a plastic baggie from his jacket and slid it across the table. There were a couple of dark colored hairs inside. I took the bag and slipped it in the inside pocket of my duster.

"I'm going to locate your dad by waving my wand over them as I chant some very long, made-up words that no one knows how to spell."

From the accepting looks I received from them, I apparently hadn't needed to attend Hogwarts to know how to be a wizard.


	3. Part 3

**Disclaimer: ****All characters associated with the **_**Dresden Files **_**series belong to Jim Butcher. No copyright infringement is intended at any time.**

**Part 3**

On our way to the Fishers, Murphy and I both agreed to have an opened mind. Although we believed Lee was telling the truth, we had to also consider that he may have possibly convinced himself that what he saw and thought was legitimate. He couldn't come to terms with the possibility that his real mother could have likely committed the act that he was accusing her of thus his mind made her someone or something else. Even though he had admitted that he was not psychotic, there was that chance, that slight possibility, that his mind was playing tricks on him as a way for him to be able to cope with the sudden failing security he'd had since he was born.

A persons mind is a very powerful weapon. There is a tale where a healthy young man accidentally gets locked in a refrigerator boxcar. He was found dead the next day. Autopsy revealed that the man died of hypothermia even though the boxcar wasn't even working. His mind believed he was freezing therefore his body responded as such. Was Lee telling the truth? Absolutely. He believed everything he said. However, he could still be wrong.

We parked down the road from the two story brick home. Light glowed from inside and a car and truck were parked in the driveway. Murphy and I sat in the warm Taurus debating our next move.

"It's called trespassing and it's a crime, Dresden. We can't just sneak on the property without approval from the homeowner," Murphy argued.

"She's not going to let us any farther than the front door." I countered. "Once she knows what we're here for, she's going to want us to leave _after _she demands to know where her son is hiding out."

"We don't have to tell her what we plan on doing," Murphy explained with the patience of a saint. "We just ask her if we can look around the property. And there are ways to answer her questions regarding Lee without giving away his whereabouts." She grinned slyly.

I thumped my fingers on the door rest. I'd never had any luck by being forthright with individuals. It was always better to act first and ask for an apology later. If Mrs. Fisher killed her husband, chances are there was evidence she was hiding on the property. Logic told me that talking to Mrs. Fisher first was going to make finding Mr. Fisher harder.

"I can't get us out of trouble like I used to," Karrin said softly. "If she refuses us access to the property, we can come back tomorrow night and do it your way. We don't need to get in trouble right off the bat, Harry."

"What makes you think we would get caught tonight?" She let out one of her cute little snorts. "Right. Okay, let's go talk to the evil Mrs. Fisher."

Murphy pulled up in the driveway directly behind the car. I let her take the lead. Both of us surveyed our surroundings as we made our way onto the porch. Murphy had to bang on the door in order to be heard over the television that blared from inside. The volume immediately dropped and footsteps approached the door.

I had expected an ogre of a woman with beady red eyes, greasy gray hair, and a large mole on her nose to answer the door with a snarl. Such a person certainly would have removed all doubt of Lee's suspicions. Needless to say I was shocked when a petite, fairly attractive woman peered at us through the slit in the door.

"Yes?" Her voice was soft but tense.

"Mrs. Laura Fisher?" Murphy asked. The lady nodded slowly. "I'm Karrin Murphy and this is Harry Dresden. We are private investigators from Chicago. May we come in?"

Her eyes narrowed at us skeptically. "What's this about?"

"Your husband. A friend of your son's asked us to help find his father."

At the mention of her son, her hazel eyes grew in size. "Lee? Is he okay?"

Murphy smiled. "He's fine. Just worried about his father."

The door shut and a chain jingled on the other side. Then Mrs. Fisher opened the door wider to let us through.

The inside of the house was small and cozy. The Fishers didn't appear to be the type to live outside of their means. The furniture in the living room was mix matched, probably bought from a second hand store. It was comfortable. I felt no evil entity, no evil vibrations coming from anywhere inside the home or from Mrs. Fisher. Maybe Lee was just being paranoid. Maybe he had been on some type of hallucinogen. Or maybe Mrs. Fisher was better at hiding her secret.

"Can I offer you something to drink?" she asked as Murphy and I took a seat on the plaid sofa.

"No, thank you." We weren't so inexperienced as to accept drinks from a stranger who may have killed the person we were there to look for.

Laura Fisher sat across from us in a recliner. She wore jeans and a green sweatshirt that was a size too large for her. She was a small woman. Though she was an inch or two taller than Murphy, she appeared breakable. Her brown hair hung in a thick braid over her shoulder. I had doubts that a woman this size could kill a man. Murphy would chastise me for having such a sexist thought. I had seen first hand at what kind of damage Murphy could do. But she was trained. The small, fragile woman in front of me wasn't. But then again not all deaths come from brute strength. Poison has been listed as the number one weapon women use to commit murder. She could've served arsenic cookies with a glass of cyanide milk for all I knew.

I'd thought about using my Third Eye to examine Mrs. Fisher in case she was implementing some sort of veil or illusion to hide her true self; however, I wasn't gung ho to jump on that wagon just yet. A wizard has to be careful with what magic he or she employs or else what is permanently stamped on our brain could cause serious damage over a period of time, and believe me, I have a lot of nasty shit imbedded in my cranium already. It would be great to be able to use The Sight all the time but if wishes were horses and all that jazz. I wasn't going to risk further damage to my mental health when there were other options available this early in the game.

"I take it that Brandi's father hired you," Laura said. "Lee and Brandi have been dating a couple of years now. She's such a sweet girl. It makes sense that they would want to help. You must be her…cousin?"

"Second cousin," Murphy answered. "Lee just wants to know where his father is. Make sure he's okay."

"Of course he does. His leaving has been a real shock to us all. I suppose I didn't handle it as well as I should have."

I finally spoke. "Lee said Mr. Fisher had met someone on the internet. You don't mind if Murphy takes a look your computer, do you?"

A small smile appeared on her lips. "You don't work well with computers, Mr. Dresden?"

Her question surprised me for a moment. Us wizards were a secretive bunch. Very few knew how wizard energy affected technology and I hadn't given Laura any indication that I was a wizard. I wasn't wearing a long robe and pointy cap; those were for White Council meetings only. I was also pretty sure the word wizard wasn't stamped across my forehead or written and taped to my back.

I returned her smile and replied in an apologetic tone, "'Fraid not. Computers aren't my forte."

She sighed and eased back in her chair. "Mine either. Actually it has only been since the beginning of the year that Charles started using ours. Lee showed him how to get on various websites in order to help sell his jewelry boxes."

"Jewelry boxes?"

She nodded. "Charles enjoyed making jewelry boxes in his spare time. I think that's how he met her." I was quick to notice that there didn't seem to be any trace of bitterness in her tone when she mentioned the woman who had supposedly stolen her man.

"Ah, these jewelry boxes. Did he make them out in the barn?"

My question seemed to amuse her.

"Yes," she replied. "The barn came with the property when we bought it and instead of tearing it down, Charles made it into a woodshop."

Lee had said that his father spent most of his spare time in the barn. It was as good a place as any to conduct the locate spell. It also seemed to be an ideal place to commit a crime and try to hide the evidence.

"We'll need to take a look around there, too."

She shrugged a slender shoulder. "If you think it will help."

Huh. This was turning out better than I had planned. Usually people who had something to hide wasn't so helpful. Or it could be that she thought she was clever enough that I would never suspect anything. What she didn't know was that I was used to people underestimating me and that always turned to my advantage. Well, almost always. But hey, I wasn't dead yet (not for lack of trying).

Chit chat time was over. It was time to get down to business. I left Murphy with Mrs. Fisher to checkout the information on the computer while I got a head start on investigating the woodshop.

The timber framed barn was about thirty feet from the house. It wasn't very large. Nothing the size of the dairy farms that were most popular around Illinois. Certainly not big enough to hold anything more than a single horse or cow. It was pretty much a getaway place. A man cave, which is basically what it was used for according to Lee. There was wear and tear on the outside due to its age and weather. The red paint had started to peel in most places exposing the wood underneath.

There were no visible wards around the perimeter to interfere with what I would be doing nor did I feel any negative energy. However, as I opened the one of the double doors and made my way inside, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I've been around plenty of bad juju before to know that something wasn't quite right.

Cautiously I continued inside and allowed my eyes adjust to the dark. The murky windows obscured whatever moonlight was available. While I searched for a light, I used my ability to Listen for any other beings that may have been waiting to sneak up and take me by surprise. I've learned through the years that it pays to be more cautious than reckless. Of course it may have taken about a dozen times of me getting knocked over the head before I put the hard (and almost always painful) earned lesson to use. Even though I wasn't able to locate anyone or anything, my gut warned me not to let my guard down and my gut had saved me too many times for me not to heed it's warning.

My head came in contact with a string dangling from the high ceiling. I gave it a quick tug and quickly covered my eyes to block the fluorescent light that lit the room. I looked around when once again my eyes had adjusted.

There was a lingering smell of sawdust in the air. Saws, sanders, and other various electrical tools hung meticulously on the wall. A tower of plastic drawers that held all sorts of screws and nails of different sizes sat on the counter. On Charles's workbench were several incomplete jewelry boxes. There were a few completed boxes on the counter that only needed a few finishing touches before they were sellable. Next to them was a magazine about wood crafting with several pages earmarked.

Over on Charles's desk was a picture of Lee in hockey gear, and one of all three of them together. A book with notes scribbled on the pages was opened next to a black rotary phone. He had several orders he was working on. Dates and supplies were written in pencil. Charles had quite a business going. It looked like his little hobby had turned into a small, flourishing business. On paper and in looking around, it appeared that Charles had no intention of leaving so soon. There was also no evidence pointing to another woman in his life.

I straightened my shoulders and took a deep calming breath. It was time to find Charles Fisher and close the case.

Locating missing people really isn't as flamboyant as I had made it sound to Lee and Brandi. Thaumaturgy is considered traditional magic that I am very good at. I had done it so many times that it was like second nature. Sure, I could make the spell look dark and arduous if I had spectators who was expecting such a performance. But it was just me and Murphy, and she had seen me do a locate spell before so she wouldn't be mystified.

I removed my handy-dandy piece of chalk from my duster and drew a circle as best as I could on the hard ground. I performed the tracking spell just as I had done a million times before. Only difference was that this time when I broke the circle nothing happened. I hadn't been expecting sparks, a bright light from the sky, or Charles's astral projection to lead me to his body (not that that wouldn't been cool), but there should have been some type of magnetic pull to direct me…somewhere.

I decided to draw the circle on the camouflage foam rug that was nestled underneath his desk. I pulled it out, drew the circle, and invoked the spell again. This time it left me feeling a little light headed. Though the spell was fairly simple, I still had to invest energy each time if I expected it to work. And I _did _expect it to work. So one can understand how puzzled and pissed I was when it didn't work.

Slowly, I turned around looking for a reason my spell wasn't working. Even if Charles were in another state, there would have been a pull from my energy to his. Since there was nothing to draw my energy that meant…. "Hell's bells."

"That bad, huh?"

My eyes darted over to the door where Murphy had just entered. She stopped and glanced around the room observantly but not overly obvious. She causally made her way over to the workbench and surveyed the items.

"The tracking spell isn't working," I told her.

"Why do you think that is?"

"If I wasn't such a competent wizard, I would question my spell." She cocked an eyebrow clearly amused by my statement. "But since I've been doing tracking spells since I was a teenager, and like wine have only gotten better with age, my professional conclusion is that Mr. Charles Fisher is no longer with us."

"You think he's dead?"

"Well, obviously I have no body to confirm my suspicions. But, yes, he could be dead. Or in the Nevernever. Or someone or something could be running interference and concealing him. Whichever one you wish to choose really sucks." Story of my life. Nothing was ever simple.

Murphy sauntered over to the desk and started flipping through the notepad. "I didn't find any damming evidence on the computer. There were some porn sites, but no constant emails that one would find between lovers."

"Uh-huh. You and Kincaid email each other often?"

She laughed softly. "Not as often as we used to. What about you? Anybody you've been Pony Expressing? Mab perhaps?"

I turned away so she wouldn't see the redness on my cheeks. "It's not what everyone thinks."

"And what does everyone think, Dresden?"

I took the chance to glance over my shoulder in her direction. I shouldn't have. Her soft lips were curled up in a grin, her blue eyes sparkled with humor. It was moments like this when I would have loved to have marched over to her, grabbed her around the waist, and kissed her deep and long. I could see being happy with Murphy. Us sharing a knowing smile or wink. Sharing intimate conversations while curled up next to a fire. Having a life together. The thoughts were jagged and painful.

"I was only kidding, Harry." A look of concern replaced her grin and her eyes were once again serious. "I didn't mean to upset you. I know you did what you thought was right. I would never judge or blame you for the sacrifice you made for your daughter."

I cleared my throat and once again turned away from her, this time to hide the sadness in my eyes.

"No harm done, Murph. Don't go getting all sappy on me." I expected to hear one of her patented snorts but there was only silence.

"Okay." I took a deep breath, slapped my hands together and rubbed them briskly. "We are both pretty certain that Mr. Fisher did not run away with a mysterious lover. And since my tracking spell isn't tracking, we are without a body. So, let's look at what we do have."

"A woman who claims her husband ran off with another woman yet appears to be unaffected by the betrayal."

"Ah, but is she in a relaxed state because she's already taken retribution on the cheating husband who, may I remind you that we have no proof is actually a cheater, or is it that after so many years of marriage is glad to be rid of him?"

Murphy chuckled. "Having been a woman scorned, you don't speak of your husband who just left you for another woman without any emotion, whether you wanted him to go or not. Her tone was indifferent when she talked about him. Even if she'd killed him, I think there would have been some passion, some type of emotion in her tone."

"Speaking of Rich, are he and your sister going to be at your mother's for Thanksgiving?"

Karrin's eyes darkened dangerously and I knew I was treading on thin ice. She didn't like talking about her ex-husband who was now married to her younger sister Lisa. It wasn't that she still had any romantic feelings for the guy. There was just something disturbing knowing the guy you used to be married to and had sex with was now married and having sex with your younger sister. It would be like me hooking up with Justine if she and Thomas were to breakup. It's just wrong. There is no reason to take the hand-me-downs when there are new clothes still left on the racks.

"Since I won't be attending, I'm sure they will."

"Oh. You got other plans for the holidays?"

"Yeah. Working on finding out what happened to Charles Fisher."

We both succumbed to our work. Murphy began to closely examine Charles's power tools while I methodically began inspecting the floor looking for clues. There has never been a perfect crime. People can plan all they want but plans aren't unassailable; I can attest to that fact. No matter how precautious a person thinks they are being, they are not fail proof and will slip.

"Dresden," Murphy murmured.

I stood still, my back to her. There was no reason for eye contact. I knew by the sound of her tone that something was amiss. But I didn't need her to warn me. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck bristled again. It was that same energy I had felt when I had entered the woodshop. We were not alone.

I concurred with a grunt, my eyes scanning our surroundings. I took normal steps backwards until I could feel Murphy's presence behind me. It's always good to know that someone capable and trustworthy has your back, and Murphy is the most capable, trustworthy person I know.

"Do you see anything?" she asked, her voice calm and steady.

Being a wizard, I could see things others couldn't. Where I had declined to use The Sight before with Laura Fisher, it was imperative for me to use it now. Whatever we were dealing with was magical or something else and obviously wasn't wanting to play fair. I braced myself not knowing what I would see.

There was pressure in the middle of my forehead as always when I used my Third Eye. When the Veil lifted allowing me to See, my heartbeat thumped a little faster.

After a couple of minutes of studying our situation, I asked, "You don't by chance have _Fidelacchius _on you, do you?" There was no reason for her to respond because I already knew the answer. Karrin had so far refused to be the wielder of the sword of faith and join the Knights of the Cross. "Do you have any weapons on you?"

"Please, Dresden. Don't insult me." The sound of buttons unsnapping and weapons being drawn from holsters accompanied her statement. "You point it out, and I'll shoot."

"Them. Lots and lots of them."

Murphy took a quick intake of breath as the Veil dropped. We were surrounded by several small, winged creatures. Their eyes glowed a bright yellow and they were all staring in our direction. They reminded me of what a demon spawn would look like with their pointy sharp teeth, reddish tinted skin, and curved little horns on their bald heads. Since the little hellish creatures had made no threatening advancement towards us, I was hopeful that we could walk away from this without using violence. After all, if they had wanted to attack they'd had plenty of opportunity to do so.

"We mean you no harm." I held up my hands, palms facing outward, as a universal sign of peace. "We're here looking for someone, a human. Charles Fisher. He is the owner of this property. Does anyone know where he is or what has happened to him?"

Silence was their response.

"I don't think they speak English," Murphy said behind me.

"That's a shame cause my Hellion is a little rusty. How 'bout yours?"

"All I know is a little Italian. He owns a restaurant down the street."

I chuckled. Humor helps alleviate some of the tension when you're preparing to go into battle. Some people don't get it. Murphy got it.

"Any idea what these things are or where they came from?" she asked.

I was quite familiar with Seelie and Unseelie creatures. I also knew most of the Wyldfae. They sported wings like the Little folk but that was the only similarities between the two. And even though the fae from Tylwyth Teg could take the form of any creature, I was in good standing with their king, Gwyn ap Nudd. This didn't feel like his magic. It just goes to show that one never truly knows what other species of life is out there. Isn't supernatural life grand?

"New to me. I would ask but that seems pointless." However, there was one person who spoke perfect English who could probably tell us. I was almost certain that Laura Fisher had summoned these things whether on purpose or by accident. Tricky part was going to be getting out to question her.

"We need to get out of here," I told Murphy.

I grabbed a hold of her jacket and whispered, "_Obscurata," _creating a veil for us. We inched forward carefully. A low static sound rippled throughout the room. Their glowing yellow eyes followed our every step.

"I don't think your veil is working," Murphy mumbled.

"Whatever it is that they're doing is cutting right through my spell." I guess turnabout was fair play.

My failed attempts at spells was starting to piss me off. The only reason Murphy had asked me to join her on this trip was to help find Charles Fisher. The only thing I had been able to do thus far was ask basic questions that any numbskull (aka Daniel Carpenter) could ask. I was a freaking wizard, a Warden at that. I was Queen Mab's  
Winter Knight. Yeah, I was pissed. "I could blast them. You know, ice their winged asses."

"Maybe we could just walk out. They don't seem to be hostile creatures."

Usually I was the one who spouted off the obvious which always lead to bad luck. It was a relief not to be the sayer of doom this time. No sooner had the words left Murphy's mouth when one of the creatures took a flying leap towards her. She didn't hesitate to pull the trigger of her SIG Sauer semiautomatic. I watched over her head as the creature fell like dead weight. It laid on the ground, a smoking black hole in the center of its little chest.

My defenses were up as I prepared for the others to rush in for revenge on behalf of their fallen comrade. They were silent, unmoving.

The little one on the ground rolled over on its stomach and began to crawl towards Murphy. It looked up, a sad frown on its ugly face, and whispered something unintelligible. It took a couple more labored breaths, then said, "I tell you…where man is." Its voice sounded like gears that desperately needed some WD40.

"Where?" Murphy asked still pointing her pistol at him.

"Closer. No strength. Dying."

Murphy paused. She looked around at the creatures surrounding us, which still hadn't moved but were watching silently. "Dresden."

"Go ahead and talk, Beelzebub. I can hear you just fine. Neither of us are getting any closer to you."

Its bottom lip poked out in a pout. It pushed itself up off the ground and made the motion of dusting itself off. The smoking hole had disappeared. Murphy and I both stared in shock, which gave the little devil what time it needed. Quick as lightening, it flew up and planted itself on Murphy. Its little legs dangled over her shoulders and its hands clamped both sides of her head.

"You it," it sang in a loud voice just before it planted a big, sloppy kiss on her lips.

That's when all hell broke loose.


End file.
